BACKGROUND: There are contradictory reports in the literature on the effects of supplemental oxygen administered before or after exercise tests. In light of this, we compared the results of 6-minute walking tests performed in room-air conditions (A6MWT) and with supplemental oxygen (O6MWT) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ...

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To detect dynamic hyperinflation (DH) by evaluating reduction in inspiratory capacity (IC) during metronome-paced hyperventilation (MPH) in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, studied before and after treatment with tiotropium. METHODS: IC and FEV(1) were measured before and immediately after MPH at two times resting the respiratory rate for 20 ...

Dynamic hyperinflation is considered an important mechanism behind shortness of breath and reduced exercise capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Prevailing methods to assess dynamic hyperinflation are crude because of the large normal variation of both functional residual capacity and inspiratory capacity (IC). In the present study, we ...

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress are potential mechanisms for muscle wasting in COPD patients. Six-minute walking testing (6MWT) has been suggested as simple and valid exercise test in COPD that is well tolerated, and reflective of activities of daily living. The present study investigated physiologic and systemic immunologic responses ...

The objective of the present study was to determine if there is a health-related quality of life (HRQL) instrument, generic or specific, that better represents functional capacity dysfunction in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients. HRQL was evaluated in 20 IPF patients using generic and specific questionnaires (Medical Outcomes Short Form ...

PURPOSE: A diminished mechanical efficiency (work/O2 consumed) accompanies chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and increased mechanical efficiency has been attained by maximal strength training (MST) with an emphasis on the maximal rate of force mobilization in the concentric phase in healthy subjects. This study combined these observations and evaluated the ...

A method for combined ergo-spirometry and continuous laryngeal inspection during exercise, entitled continuous laryngoscopy exercise test (CLE-test) has been developed in order to study airway obstruction at the laryngeal level during exercise. The aim of the study was to apply the CLE-test on patients experiencing respiratory distress during exercise in ...

Dyspnea, a symptom limiting exercise capacity in patients with COPD, is associated with central perception of an overall increase in central respiratory motor output directed preferentially to the rib cage muscles. On the other hand, disparity between respiratory motor output, mechanical and ventilatory response of the system is also thought ...

Pulmonary rehabilitation has been shown to be an important part of the management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exercise training is the corner stone of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD and has been shown to improve health-related quality of life and exercise capacity. Nevertheless, not ...

The outcomes of quantitative investigations examining the effectiveness of exercise interventions for people with COPD are limited by the small number of measurement tools that can be included. In contrast, qualitative inquiry allows broader exploration of the perceived outcomes of an intervention. The purpose of this investigation is to explore ...

To systematically review the short-term efficacy of ambulatory oxygen from single-assessment studies in COPD. Searches for relevant randomized controlled trials using predefined search terms were conducted on the Cochrane Airways Group Specialized Register of RCTs, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and other electronically available journals, databases, and search ...

Breathlessness is the most common symptom limiting exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exercise training can improve both exercise tolerance and health status in these patients, intensity of exercise being of key importance. Nevertheless, in these patients extreme breathlessness and/or peripheral muscle fatigue may prevent patients from ...

Measurement of inspiratory capacity (IC) as a marker of dynamic lung hyperinflation has been shown to correlate with dyspnea and exercise performance in stable COPD, and is therefore of potential utility in the management of this condition. We have examined whether similar relationships exist during acute exacerbations of COPD and ...

The purpose of this study is to encourage patients who suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to get regular daily exercise via walking. When the patient is exercising at home, the platform generates a short message service (SMS) message to the patient inverted exclamation mark|s mobile phone telling him/her ...

BACKGROUND: Cycle training intensity for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is normally based on an incremental cycle test. Such tests are expensive and not readily available to clinicians. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) has been proposed as an alternative to an incremental cycle test for this purpose, based ...

Lung hyperinflation commonly accompanies expiratory flow-limitation in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and contributes importantly to dyspnea and activity limitation. It is not surprising, therefore, that lung hyperinflation has become an important therapeutic target in symptomatic COPD patients. There is increasing evidence that acute dynamic increases in lung ...

Malnutrition in patients with COPD is associated with an impaired pulmonary status, reduced diaphragmatic mass, lower exercise capacity, and higher mortality rate when compared with adequately nourished individuals with COPD. Deterioration in patients with COPD may be the result of malnutrition. In addition, malnutrition could be a sign of other ...

RATIONALE: Improvement in FEV(1) is a main endpoint in clinical trials assessing the efficacy of bronchodilators. However, the effect of bronchodilators on maximal expiratory flow may be confounded by thoracic gas compression (TGC). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether TGC confounds effect of albuterol on FEV(1). METHODS: We evaluated the response to ...

OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND: The benefits of inspiratory muscle strength training in decreasing symptoms, disability or handicap of patients affected by COPD are not well established. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the constant use of a new flow-volumetric inspiratory exerciser, named Respivol, in improving respiratory ...

Assessing airway and lung inflammation is important for investigating the underlying mechanisms of asthma and COPD. Yet these cannot be measured directly in clinical research and practice because of the difficulties in monitoring inflammation. Noninvasive monitoring may assist in early recognition of asthma and COPD, assessment of its severity, and ...

Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) has served as an important diagnostic measurement of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but has not been found to correlate with patient-centered outcomes such as exercise tolerance, dyspnea, or health-related quality of life. It has not helped us understand why some patients with ...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a leading cause of disability and death in the United States. The identification and amelioration of systemic manifestations of COPD may improve long-term outcomes, including survival. These systemic manifestations often correlate with increased risk of mortality and may be considered surrogates of disease severity. ...

There is increasing evidence that systemic inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of COPD. Inflammatory markers show relationships with exercise performance, health related quality of life and breathlessness. These are important clinical outcomes in the management of COPD. Even more so is the consideration that systemic inflammation in ...

Both oxygen therapy and bronchodilators reduce exertional breathlessness and improve exercise tolerance in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However their relative effectiveness and the value of their combined use on exercise performance has not been assessed. The effects of 5 mg of salbutamol plus 500 microg ipratropium ...

To examine the effect of fluticasone propionate, 250 microg/salmeterol, 50 microg combination (FSC 250/50) twice daily on lung hyperinflation and associated measures of exercise performance in patients with COPD. This was a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study. Eligible patients were > or = 40 years old with a diagnosis of COPD, ...

The most common symptoms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients are breathlessness and exercise limitation. Although both general and inspiratory muscle training have shown clinical benefits, the effects of specific expiratory muscle training remain controversial. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of expiratory training on lung function, exercise tolerance, symptoms ...

The ability to assess cardiac output (Q(T)) noninvasively has been the focus of interest for many researchers. While the open-circuit acetylene (C2H2) method seems promising, it is prone to error due to ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) inequality. Measurements during exercise, at high altitude or in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ...

Impaired skeletal muscle function has been reported in patients with chronic obstructive disease (COPD), but such impairment is not homogenous and its distribution between the upper and the lower limbs is still unclear. The present study was designed to assess and compare upper and lower limb capacities in patients with ...

The inspiratory-to-total lung capacity ratio or "inspiratory fraction" (inspiratory capacity(IC)/total lung capacity (TLC)) may be functionally more representative than traditional indices of resting airflow limitation and lung hyperinflation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In the present retrospective study, a comparison was made of the individual performance of ...

PURPOSES: To investigate the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of a 2-min walk test (2MWT) in Chinese COPD patients with moderate-to-severe disease. METHODS: This study consisted of two parts. Forty-seven stable COPD patients with moderate-to-severe disease participated in the first part of study for the investigation of reliability and validity. The ...

BACKGROUND: Different exercise tests are used to evaluate the functional capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The cardiopulmonary exercise test is considered the gold standard, but the 6 minute walk and the 15 step exercise oximetry test are considerably less expensive. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether reliable data could be obtained ...

Verbal descriptors of dyspnea have been suggested as being useful in providing information on the underlying pathophysiology. However, little is known about the reliability of these descriptors. The present study examined the reliability of a German language list of respiratory symptom descriptors and studied the association of these descriptors with ...

BACKGROUND: Once viewed as an irreversible condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is now considered as a preventable and treatable disease. The past ten years of research have clearly indicate that dyspnea, exercise tolerance and quality of life can be improved considerably with appropriate therapeutic interventions that include pharmacological and ...

During constant-work-rate exercise in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dyspnea increases steeply once inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) falls to a critical level that prevents further expansion of tidal volume (Vt). We studied the effects of this mechanical restriction on the quality and intensity of exertional dyspnea and examined the impact of ...

This study aimed to assess the effect of BiPAP, by nasal mask, on exercise tolerance and respiratory muscle strength in patients with a clinical and spirometric diagnosis of moderate/severe COPD (FEV1 < 60% of predicted). Ten patients of 59.4+/-8.9 years old, with FEV1/FVC <70% of predicted level, were treated with ...

A reduced exercise capacity is an important determinant of health status and an independent prognostic marker in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The inability to increase expiratory flow at the resting end-expiratory lung volume in the face of expiratory-flow limitation means that end-expiratory lung volume must increase if gas ...

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) describe their breathlessness as related to the work and effort associated with breathing. Current evidence suggests that the perception of dyspnea is due to a "mismatch" between the outgoing motor command from the central nervous system and the corresponding afferent information from chemoreceptors ...

Long-acting beta(2) agonists are an effective and convenient treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but do not significantly improve lung function. The long-acting anticholinergic tiotropium, which can be taken once daily, decreases exertional dyspnoea and increases endurance by reducing hyperinflation. The role in COPD of the combination of a ...

Hyperinflation of the lungs is associated with activity limitation and reduced quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing has proven useful, not only in establishing this link, but also in determining which interventions modify exercise endurance and the mechanisms by which this is ...

The effects of adding L-carnitine to a whole-body and respiratory training program were determined in moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Sixteen COPD patients (66 +/- 7 years) were randomly assigned to L-carnitine (CG) or placebo group (PG) that received either L-carnitine or saline solution (2 g/day, orally) for ...

BACKGROUND: Impaired exercise tolerance is frequently observed in patients with COPD. Respiratory muscle endurance training (RMET) by means of normocapnic hyperpnea can be used to improve respiratory muscle function and probably exercise capacity. RMET is not applied on a large scale because complicated equipment is needed to maintain carbon dioxide ...